Republican Economy

The tax-payers of Washtenaw couuty made no mistake when tbey changed their minds two years ago turned out ;he democnits and placed in power the republican party in this county. A reporter from this paper has been ooking over the books, and he found a state of affairs that was astonishing to him, but one which will be pleasing to every tax-payer in Washtenaw county. He found that within the two years the republican party has been in power, that a debt of over $14,400 had been wiped out, taxation reduued one-half, and a credit to the couuty's bank account in the bank, of over $14,700. These are the facts : when the repubican county officials took the reins'two years ago, there was on the lst day of September, 1894, au overdraft at the Aun Arbor Saviuss Bank of $14,411.02. This amount included the defalcation of ;he county treasurer, Mr. Suekey, $4,100. Of this defalcation Prosecuting Attorney Rand ill found that the couuty treasurer'sb loksshowel that there was about $600 belonging to Mr. Suekey in fees, etc. , that he had not drawn out of the treasury. He then proceeded to eollect from the boudsinen $3,500 which made the county practically good. By deducting this $3,500, which ought not to be done, then there would be still left au amount of $10,911.02, that the county was in debt when the republicans took the county affairs in their hands. The republicans have not only paid that old debt but they have got the finances of the county in such shape that on the lst day of Sept. 1896, there was a balance on hand in the bank, to the credit of the county, of $14,720.09. The first year there was saved in interest money $418.64, and up to July lst of this year $439.55, making a total saving of interest for 18 months of our republican adininistratiou, of $858.19 in that item alone. Taking the last two years of democratie rule we find that the county paid the banks in interest $3,423.00 more than it received. That is the sort of economy our republican officials are practicing. And they are not only paying up old democratie county debts, but they are reducing taxation also. Look at this : For the last two democratie years 1893-4, there was $80,000 raised by tax to pay county expenses alone, without paying anything on the debt. In the first two years of republican rule 1895-6 there is ouly $50,000 assessed for county taxes, and the entire debt of the county has been wiped out. There is not a cent due anyone exceptthe bilis that naturally accumulate and are presented at the session of the board of Supervisors in October, and these we are assured will be less than they have been for several years, and there will be money enough to pay them all. Take your tax receipts and see for yourself what is being saved on county taxes! Next December you will find that the county tax assessed against your property will be only one-half what il was two years ago. 1IERE IN THE CITY. Take the figures here in this city, and see how they look to the tax-payers. In 1894 Ann Arbor City had to pay $6,282.69 for county expenses. In 1895, even though her equalization was raised $100,000 she had only $4,268.00, and this year it will be still less. Bul in one year the saving to the Ann Arbor city property owners was over $2,000, a fact it will do to ponder over, for you know when you touch a man's pocketbook you touch Lis heart strings. IN THE TOWNSHIPS. In the townships the saving bas been still greater. In the township of Webster, for instance, here are a few figures : Webster's county tax tn 1892 was ?l,400 .' 94 " 1,826 " " 95 " 677 Less tlian one-half as much in 1895 as in 1893, and in 1896 it will be still lower. In looking over these figures do not forget that a debt of $14,000 has been wiped out of existence. If this showing does not entitle the republicana to a conti nuance in power, we should like to have one produced that could equal it. how tuk SAvmg was done. Many will want to kiiow where the saving has been. The answer might be truthiully made, everywhere. But we will take the sheriff's office. Mr. Judson's expenses for board of prisoners and turnkey fees at the jail during bis first year 1895 was $2, 044.00. The first year of his predecessor, 1898, the bilis for the same purpose amounted to $3,753.60, a difference in Mr. Judson's favor of $209. This year 1896, estimating the last four ïnonths by last year, Mr. Judson's expenses for the above items will be $2,121.60; while during the second year of his predecessor, 1894, the county paid $2,693.95. This is a difference of 572.35 in Mr. Judson's favor, making a total for two years, as compared with the two years of his iminediate predecessor of $781.35. And Mr. Judson says the expenses will be less then the above by upwards of $100. In fact he is willing to settle with the county for an ainount that will leave a clean $900 saving to the tax-payers of this county for his two year's administration. Buring the 18 nionths of Sheriff Judson's administration he has taken 21 men to state prison as against 18 taken in the two years preceeding. Included ainong the 21 is Cuyler Barton, the flre friend who burned so many barns for farmers in Lyndou and the western part of the county. Afterhired detectives had been paid a considerable sum to ferret out the guilty one, Mr. Judson took hold of the case and succeeded not only in securing the man, but in causing him to plead guilty, thus saving this couiity at least $3,000 in expenses, and then not being sure of conviction. So he has saved expenses in other ways then in board and turnkey bilis, it will be aeen. Out of 21 sent to prisou 17 plead guilty, in uearly every instance through Sheriff Judsoii's influence, their saving to the tax-payers $100 a day for circuit court expenses. If Mr. Judson had been disposed to work for his own selfísh interest instead of the tax-payer's interest, he could have made several hundred dollars in_officer's fees by allowing these prisoners to have come to trial instead of inducing them to plead guilty. By cornparing Mr. Judson's administration with that of his predeassor we desire to make no attack upon that gentleman. Mr. Brenner was a good sheriff and attended to the duties of his office properly, and his administration was more economical thau many of those that preceded him, but we desire to show the people that everything has been done that could be done to carry on the affairs of this county in a just and economical manner, and that the people have proiited by making u change in servants. There are other things and more figures that will be brought out as the compaigu moves along. The School Controversy - If onie of ilie people who are bo ably and sO energetically and so bitterly ;;id so lüolis'hly and so learnadly dkcuiug :he late sctool e.aueus, tlie late t-ciioul elecblon, and the present school board iu the preas oï the city, vvO'Uld nigu their own namos to wbat Shey llave to eay, thdiv eiïorts might he productive oï' more - or Ie- resol te. An anoiiymous communicatiou never carries much "weiglifc witli it. As a general thing, if a man. has anyibing to say that ifl of valuei to his iellow man he ils iproud "to sign his own name, lut ií lio wislies to say sonietting thiat üs a little doutotíul, or wlsbes to hit or dig ssoinebody in tihe ribe, or ecratch someone's eyes out, he usually eneaks behind an assumeil name, and Iets the editor bear ttoe odium of publifelimg what he has to say. An un&lgned communicatlon sometimes ralses a smlle, if it happens to (meet om' own particular views, tmt It neTev yet commanded our respect